Gate structure



July 28, 1959 J. c. HALLIGAN GATE STRUCTURE Filed July so, 1956 g & 2 G m a 5 Z x u 4W m FIG. 7

I NVENORI JOSEPH c. HALLIGAN BY WW ATTYS.

United States Patent GATE STRUCTURE Joseph C. Halligan, Wayne, Pa.

. Application July 30, 1956, Serial No. 600,834

3 Claims. (Cl. 20-71) The present invention relates to new and useful improvement in gates or like closure such as a barrier suitable for fixing at the top or a bottom of a stairway as a safety device for the prevention of accidents to young children, or in a doorway as a-temporary or partial closure for a similar purpose.

The. principal object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive gate or similar closure which is adapted to be held in position between opposing wall or jamb members solely by friction and without the use of any permanent fastening. devices secured to the wall or jamb members.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a gate of this type which may be quickly and easily secured in its operative position in a doorway or at the top and bottom of a stairway and which will resist being moved out of position by a young child.

A still further object of the present invention is to providea novel gate of the type described which is of relatively simplifiedconstruction, may be manufactured easily and cheaply, and is highly efiicient and elfective in-operation and use.

These and other objects of the present invention and the variousfeatures and details of the operation and construction thereof are hereinafter more fully set forth and described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the gate of the present invention in position across a doorway;

Fig. 2. is a top plan view of the gate illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3-3, Fig. 2 illustrating the locking means for the top portion of the gate;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the latch mechanism for actuating the upper locking means;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view taken on line 55, Fig. 2 illustrating the means for adjusting the upper locking means;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 66, Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary front elevational view illustrating the lower portion of the gate and the locking mechanism for maintaining the lower portion of the gate in position; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 8-8, Fig. 7.

According to the present invention, the gate of the present invention is characterized by a pair of oppositely disposed upper locking members which may be adjusted to fit between oppositely disposed walls or a door jamb and having quickly releasable means for fixing the upper locking members in position against suitable abutments, such as against a wall at one side and the bannister post of a stairway at the other side, or between the sides of a doorway; and locking mechanism at the lower portion ice 5 lower portion of the gate in position.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and par ticularly Fig. 1 thereof, reference numeral 10 designatesgenerally a gate made in accordance with the present invention positioned between oppositely disposed walls 11, 11. The gate 10 comprises upper and lower cross members 12 and 13 respectivelywhich carry the upper and lower locking mechanism, and a plurality of vertical bars 14 extending between the upper and lower cross members 12 and 13.

Adjustably carried by the upper cross bar 12 is a pair of resilient pressure pads 15 and 16 which may be actuated outwardly into pressure applying relation with the walls 11, 11 to maintain the upper end of the gate in position relative to the walls. These pressure pads 15 and 16 are carried by rods 17 and 18, respectively, mounted for axial movement within the upper cross bar 12 to permit the gate to be positioned across areas of varying width. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the rod 17 at the left hand side of the gate is slidably mounted within an opening 20 extending axially inward into the cross bar 12 from one end thereof. The rod 17 has a plurality of notches 19 therein within which a stop member 21 hingedly secured to the cross: bar 12 is engaged. By ro tating the stop member 21 outwardly to the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 5, the rod 17 and resilient pad 15 carried thereby may be moved axially relative to the cross bar member to the desired position and then locked in place by releasing the stop member 21.

The rod 18 and its associated resilient pad 16 is mounted for finer adjustment and accordingly the rod 18 is threadedly secured on a threaded shaft 22 mounted for axial movement within an opening 23 centrally of the righthand end of the upper cross bar 12; A latch member 24 pivotally secured to the upper cross bar by means of a pin 25 has a downwardly extending lug 26 thereonwhich is received within an opening 27 in the inner end of the threaded shaft 22 and permits the threaded shaft 22 to be actuated axially relative to the upper crossbar 1'2. When the latch member 24 is elevated to the position shown inbroken line Fig. 3, the downwardly extending lug 26 pulls the shaft 22 and rod 18 inwardly or toward the gate to the position shown in broken lines. In a similarvmanner when the latch member 24 is actuated toits downward position as shown in full lines in Fig. 3 the right hand pressure pad 16 is actuated to its outer position. A pivoted locking member 28 mounted on the upper surface of the upper cross bar 12 as indicated at 29 may be positioned on top of the latch member 24 when the latch is in its lower limit position to maintain the latch member in position and prevent its accidental release by a child.

In accordance with the present invention, means are also provided to cause frictional engagement of the gate with the floor after the gate is positioned across the stairway or a door jamb and prevent displacement of the lower portion of the gate. With reference to Figs. 1, 7 and 8, a pair of resilient pressure feet 31, 31 are carried by resilient metal straps 32, 32 secured to the lower cross bar 13 at opposite sides of the gate. The resilient straps 32 are normally positioned in a horizontal plane, as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 7, but may be displaced gownwardly to force the pressure feet 31 against the cor.

Downward displacement of the straps 32 and pressure feet 31 is eifected by means of a foot treadle member, designated generally as 33. The treadle member 33 is pivotally secured to the lower surface of lower cross bar 13, for example, by means of a plurality of a U-shaped staple 34 and is mounted for rotary movement between Patented July 28, 1959 an upper limit position and a lower limit position, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 8. A pair of lugs 35, 35 extend downwardly at opposite ends of the treadle member 33 inengagement with the resilient straps 32 carrying the pressure feet 31. The lugs 35 are formed integrally with the treadle 33 and in the upper limit po sition of the treadle 33 are held out of engagement from the resilient straps 32 and permit the straps 32 to assume the horizontal position as shown in broken lines in Fig. 7. When the foot treadle 33 is forced downwardly to its lower limit position as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 7, the lugs 35, 35 engage the resilient straps 32, 32 and force the pressure feet 31, 31 into frictional engagement with the floor and thereby maintain the lower portion of the gate in position and prevent displacement of the lower portion of the gate.

In order to use the gate of the present invention the upper resilient pads 15 and 16 are adjusted, as set forth previously, with the latch member 24 in its lower limit position to a width slightly in excess of the width of the doorway or stairway across which the gate is to be placed. The foot treadle 33 is moved to its upper limit position. The latch member 24 is then raised to its upper limit position thereby moving the resilient pressure pad 16 inwardly relative to the upper cross bar member 12 and the gate is placed in position across the doorway or stairway. with the pressure feet 31 in engagement with the floor. The latch member 24 is then lowered and locked in position forcing the resilient pads 15 and 16 into engagement with the opposite sides of the doorway or stairway thereby securely locking the upper portion of the gate 12 in position. The foot treadle 33 is then actuated downwardly to force the resilient pressure feet 31, 31 into frictional engagement with the floor. By this, the upper portion of the gate is prevented from movement both laterally and vertically by means of the resilient pads 15 and 16, and lateral displacement of the bottom portion of the gate is prevented by means of the frictional engagement of the pressure feet 31, 31 with the fioor. The gate is now securely locked in position in the doorway or across the stairway solely by frictional engagement and may not be accidentally displaced or moved. In order to remove the gate from the doorway or stairway the locking member 28 is removed from engagement with the' latch member 24 and the latch member 24 actuated to its upper limit position. This in turn removes the pressure pads 15 and 16 from engagement with the sides of the doorway or stairway and permits the gate to be easily removed from the doorway or stairway.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the present invention provides a novel gate structure which may be bodied therein within the scope of the following claims.

4 U readily positioned in a doorway or across a stairway and held in position solely by frictional engagement with the door jamb or walls and the floor. In addition, it will be apparent that the present invention provides a novel gate structure which is of relatively simplified construction, which may be adjusted to fit different size doorways or stairways and may be readily secured in position. i While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein it is not intended to limit the invention to such a disclosure and changes and modifications may be incorporated and em- I claim:

1. A gate structure operable to be positioned between a pair of oppositely disposed walls or the like in frictional engagement with the walls and the floor comprising; upper and lower cross bars and a plurality of bars intercom meeting the upper and lower cross bars, upper latch mechanism adjustably carried by said upper cross bar for movement axially of said upper cross bar between predetermined outer and inner limit positions, resilient pads carried by said upper latch mechanism operable upon movement of the upper latch mechanism to its outer limit position to frictionally engage the walls between which the gate is positioned, lower latch mechanism carried by said lower crossbar, a pair of resilient foot members carried by said lower latch mechanism, and a treadle pivotally secured to the lower cross bar for pivotal movement between opposite limit positions and operatively interconnected with said lower latch mechanism, said treadle operable upon movement to one limit position thereof to force said foot members downwardly relative to said gate into frictional engagement with the floor, said resilient pads and resilientfoot members cooperating with each other to prevent lateral displacement of the gate.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said resilient foot member is secured to a resilient strap normally urging said pad upwardly relative to said gate.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said treadle has a cam surface thereon in engagement with said resilient strap operable upon movement of said treadle to said one limit position to force said resilient straps and foot member downwardly relative to said gate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

